| ![Show Contents]() Fretwel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of FretwelWhat does the name Fretwel mean? The surname Fretwel is Anglo-Saxon in origin; the name is derived from "Fritwell," the name of a town located in Oxfordshire. This name is probably taken from the Old English "freht," meaning "augury," and "well," meaning "spring, stream." Early Origins and Etymology of FretwelThe surname Fretwel was first found in Oxfordshire, where the town of Fritwell is located. The name was recorded as Fertwelle 1 in the Domesday Book 2. It is possible that the progenitor of the surname was a descendant of Reginald Wadard, who was granted land in Fritwell after the Norman Conquest of 1066, as recorded in the Domesday Book. The earliest recorded bearer of the name was Milo de Freteuill, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1204. Early History of the Fretwel familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fretwel research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1204, 1219, 1240, 1510, 1574, 1765 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Fretwel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fretwel Spelling VariationsBefore English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Fretwel include Fretwell, Fratwell, Fretevile, Frettwell and others. Early Notables of the Fretwel family- Thomas Fretwell (c.1765), an army officer stationed in Bengal, India, and John Wesley Fretwell (b. 1847), an American bookseller
Migration of the Fretwel familyA great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Ralph Fretwell, who traveled to Barbados in 1655; John Fretwell, who settled in Maryland in 1657; G. Fretwell, who came to Virginia in 1665; Roger Fretwell, who arrived in Maryland in 1671.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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